1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cameras, and more particularly to a mechanism for maintaining a photographing film flat in the photographing mask section of a camera using a roll film.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a camera using a roll film, the film is pulled out along the photographing mask of the camera body, and when the film is to be exposed, it is maintained flat. For this purpose, the pressure plate is abutted against the film on the photographing mask with a predetermined distance maintained between the film and the photographing lens.
Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 120840/1990 (the term "OPI" as used herein means an "unexamined published application") has disclosed a camera using a film cassette. The camera has a mechanism for maintaining the film flat in the photographing plane. The mechanism operates as follows: After the film is fed, a stop is pressed against the aperture frame via the film to make the film flat, and to accurately set the film at the focusing position of the photographing lens.
In the above-described conventional camera, the pressure plate is set behind the film, which makes it difficult to reduce the thickness of the camera. In addition, since it is necessary to use the pressure plate and its relevant components, the camera is relatively large in the number of manufacturing steps, and accordingly high in manufacturing cost. On the other hand, in the camera disclosed by the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application (OPI) No. 120840/1990, the film is pushed against the aperture frame, and therefore it is necessary to use the stop corresponding to the pressure plate. In this case, too, it is rather difficult to reduce the thickness of the camera.